Four Souls
by Okori Yo
Summary: After being sealed away for fifty years, Inuyasha and Naraku are now free and on the hunt to kill each other. They are also intent on tracking down the Shikon Jewel, but there is a strange new legend surrounding the Jewel of Four Souls...
1. A Monk's Tale

**Chapter 1: A Monk's Tale**

Miroku sighed as he climbed the worn stone steps that led up the mountain. It was snowing again, and he shivered slightly, wishing he had been allowed to bring more adequate footwear along. But the head monk of the Zenrin-ji monastery, the one who had sent him was firm: his journey into the far northern mountains of Japan was considered part of his Buddhist training, so he would have to make the trip wearing his normal robes and sandals.

The young monk wondered why _he_ was being sent. There were older, more experienced monks at the monastery, but all he had been told that he had been chosen to guard something of great importance. Sighing again, he brushed some of the snow out of his hair and continued moving slowly upwards. It had taken Miroku nearly three months to make his way from the central island of Honshu to the smaller northern island of Hokkaido where the secret monastery was located. He had managed to hitch some rides on farmer's carts and wagons, but as he moved further north, the young monk had to increasingly travel by foot. He had found the boat ride between the two islands interesting, but quiet. Since then, Miroku had been asking the few people he came across if they knew where the monastery was, and it was only by chance that he had run into a monk that was heading south who kindly directed him where to go.

Realizing that the light flurries had stopped, Miroku paused and brushed off his purple Buddhist robes, unhappy that they now were nearly soaked with melted snow, making him even colder. Dark blue eyes closing, he gripped his Shakujo staff tighter, telling himself he would keep walking until he reached a level spot, then continue on in the morning. Shaking himself slightly, the monk kept walking, occasionally glancing to the left to admire the view of the valleys and smaller hills he had passed on his way through.

"I need to find the monastery soon…I'm nearly out of food." he muttered to himself, feeling the way the light bundle on his back bounced with every step. It had been much heavier at the start of his journey, and while he was careful to never eat too much, his meals had been meagre the last few weeks. At the moment, his stomach rumbled as if to remind him of that fact, and Miroku chuckled weakly. Reaching one of the switchbacks that allowed the path to keep moving upwards while remaining on the same side of the mountain, he looked up to check his progress and smiled. Not to far above him, the steps ended at the mouth of a cave, which he knew would lead to his destination.

After another fifteen minutes of solid walking, Miroku reached the entrance to the cave and stopped. He could feel a strong spiritual barrier right in front of him, obviously set up to keep demons away. Hesitating for a moment, he reached out and waved his staff inside the cave mouth to see if he could go in. Satisfied that he would not be thrown back down the mountainside by the barrier, the monk stepped into the cool darkness of the cave.

Aside from the distant drip of water, everything was silent. He could see now that the cave was actually a tunnel, so he started to walk down it, the jingling of the rings on his staff breaking the deep silence. Although the tunnel was pitch black, the path was clear and level, and it wasn't long before he was standing at the other end, staring down at the hidden monastery.

The monastery was located in a shallow valley between three mountains, with a small river running crosswise through it. A smooth path lead down to the entrance of the holy grounds, which was marked by two life-size statues of a sitting Buddha on either side of the path. A row of buildings flanking both sides of the path were next, and Miroku assumed that they were probably quarters and meditation rooms for the monks living there. A stone arched bridge crossed the river, and a flight of steps led to the temple. The temple itself was built like the other buildings, but even from across the valley Miroku could see the numerous tags and charms pasted or hung along the outside walls.

Miroku smiled and headed down the twisting pathway that led to the temple. Halfway down, he saw a group of people quickly gathering to meet him, and picked up his pace. Reaching the valley floor, the young monk stopped a few feet away from the man at the head of the group.

"Welcome, Miroku-san." the elderly monk said, and the rest of the monks murmured the greeting after him. After a pause, he continued. "I am Taro, the head monk in charge of this monastery and the artefact it guards. Your journey was long, so please come and get refreshed. I will tell you everything you must know afterwards." Ending with a short bow, Taro gestured for Miroku to follow him.

"Many thanks, Taro-sama. I am honoured to be here." Miroku replied with a deep bow to the older monk, and fell into step just behind him. He smiled and nodded to the other monks as they moved through the small group and walked towards one of the buildings sitting beside the path.

- - -

After a refreshing bath and a hearty meal, Miroku and Taro sat across from each other on a tatami mat, the younger monk waiting patiently for further information. Blue eyes fixed on the head monk's face, Miroku shifted slightly, wondering what the man had to tell him. A few minutes of silence passed, then Taro cleared his throat and began to speak.

"I know that you have little experience outside the monastery in Zenrin-ji, but you seem to possess strong spiritual powers and have a level head. Both traits will be needed for your duty here. The artefact that I mentioned earlier is a statue of a dog half-demon, and it is located in the temple. I cannot tell you the story behind it, since I was sworn to never reveal it when I took over the position of head monk here. I can tell you this much: the statue is of great importance and must be kept a secret at all costs. Also, you are never to touch the statue, since your spiritual power will cause it to shatter and something terrible will happen if it does break. Miroku-san, do you understand?"

Miroku was silent for a moment, thinking over what he had just been said. Although he was burning to learn the story behind the statue, he knew better than to ask. Nodding, he responded, "Of course, Taro-sama, I understand completely. I will do my duty to protect the statue even if it kills me." The elder monk sighed and nodded. "Very good. Now, go relieve Nori-san." Standing up, Miroku bowed and left.

- - -

Miroku sat in front of the statue, his back facing the door. It had been several weeks since he had arrived at the hidden monastery, and he was still fascinated by the stone half-demon. The male figure was standing upright, but was twisted around like something from behind had startled him. His dog ears were flattened back against his head, and his mouth was open as if he had been in the middle of saying something. The statue's left arm was raised slightly, clawed hand balled into a fist. He wore old-style clothing; an outer hitoe with an inner kosode peeking out at the sleeves and collar, an obi and a pair of rather loose hakama completed the outfit, and the figure had bare feet. Miroku had assumed from the style of the clothing that the artist either had an interest in historical dress or that the statue itself was several hundred years old.

Chin resting on his fist, the monk examined the statue yet again. It stood in the centre of the temple, surrounded by four stone pillars that had Buddhist prayers carved into them. Mounted on a pedestal, it was turned slightly so that the shocked face was looking at the wall instead of the door. The workmanship was excellent, and he wondered absently who had carved it. Miroku had noticed that small cracks were appearing in the stone around the figure's ankles, but dismissed them due to the age of the stone. Still, he couldn't see why the statue was important, and he could sense nothing spiritual or demonic from the stone. Frowning, he sighed in frustration. No matter how many times he asked Taro, the monk refused to tell him anything more about the statue, and none of the other monks knew anything else. The only useful piece of information he had heard was that a spell had been cast on the statue, but even that was just a wild rumour that a half-insane monk had started years ago. So Miroku was left to speculate about the statue's history.

_The statue had been carved by a distraught human father after his young dog half-demon son had died. In an effort to keep his memory fresh, the father carved what he believed his son would have grown up to look like, and kept the statue hidden away until he died. Local villagers, possibly the same ones who had caused the young half-demon to die, discovered the statue after the man's death, and fearing that it had evil properties, gave it to a monastery so they could contain the wicked power locked inside the stone._

Shaking his head, Miroku dismissed that story. It didn't explain why the statue was so closely guarded, or why it was hidden away where few people could find it. Glancing at the statue again, the monk tried again.

_The statue had originally been of a famous young prince, and had been carved to commemorate his heroic deeds. A priestess had fallen in love with the prince, but he kept refusing her advances, finally marrying a lady of noble birth. Infuriated, the rejected priestess cast a spell on the statue, reconfiguring it to show a man who was constantly looking over his shoulder. The dog references were a personal touch, added by the angry woman in order to show others exactly what she thought of the prince. Ashamed of what had been done to his statue, the young man ordered it to be sent far away and placed somewhere were he could never see it again. And so the statue ended up in a Buddhist monastery, with orders that it be kept under heavy guard in case the spell broke and the priestess' anger was unleashed in the form of a crippling spiritual attack. _

Although that story made more sense, it still didn't settle well with Miroku. Staring at the statue, he knew that there had to be a bigger explanation behind it. Whatever it was, the tale must be important if even the head monk was sworn never to tell anyone about it. Rubbing the back of his neck, the young man sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere by just thinking, so he might as well spend his time more wisely. Shifting into a more comfortable position, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Meditation would help to clear his mind; maybe then he could figure out the statue's history.

**Crack**.

**Crack…crack…crack…crack…crack…**

**Crack…crack..crackcrackcrackcrackcrackcrack…**

Opening his eyes at the peculiar sound, Miroku stared in surprise. The tiny cracks around the male half-demon's ankles had spread upwards and gotten bigger, ending just below his waist. _That's definitely not the result of old stone…_the young man thought, his mind flicking through the countless possibilities of why the stone was cracking so quickly. Suddenly remembering his duties, Miroku scrambled to his feet and bolted for the door, wrenching it open and bellowing, "TARO-SAMA! Come quickly, something's happening to the statue!"

A few seconds went by, then the elder monk dashed out of a meditation chamber and ran towards the temple, clutching a bunch of Buddhist charms in one hand. Eyes wide, he brushed past Miroku and entered the temple, and the young man heard him gasp a moment later. Alerted by his call, other monks starting appearing in doorways and hurrying down the path towards the temple, eager to see what was happening and if their skills would be needed. Miroku stood aside and allowed them to enter, listening to their gasps and whispers once they saw the statue.

Taro was silent for a minute, then he turned to the gathered monks and spoke, raising his voice so he could be heard clearly by all. "This is a grave turn of events for us. I want the strongest monks here to erect a powerful spiritual barrier around the statue, using the prayer pillars as way to support it. Once the barrier is in place, no one must touch it, no matter what happens. From now on, there will be someone on duty at all times. I will leave it to you to sort out the schedule. If anything happens, find me at once. Is that clear?"

Murmurs of agreement drifted from each of the monks, and most turned and filed out of the temple quietly. Concerned, Miroku stayed behind, watching silently as Taro and four other monks hung strings with Buddhist charms attached between the four stone posts and chanted to set up a strong spiritual barrier. As the invisible wall was erected, the statue glowed dimly, silver light shining from the cracks. But the light faded and vanished once the barrier was in place, and the statue returned to looking completely normal. Seeing that two of the older monks were settling in to start guard duty, Miroku turned and left the temple, needing time alone and space to think.

The young monk walked slowly along the riverbank, watching the sun glint off of the frozen water. It was obvious now that something was trapped inside the statue itself, and was trying to break the seal and be set free. He had sensed something when the light shone out of the cracks, but the sensation had been so faint and fleeting that he couldn't identify it. "But what _happened_?" Miroku asked aloud, stopping and looking up to the light blue sky. For once, it wasn't snowing, and a light breeze blew down from the grey mountains that towered high above the monastery.

The wind ruffled his dark brown hair, and he absently ran a hand through it, lost in thought. A monk or a priest could have easily sealed something inside a statue, but why was it breaking out now, after all this time? Gazing upwards, he tried to figure out what could be trapped inside a statue, but none of the questions he came up with had answers. Was the statue just a cloak to hide the true form of the thing inside? Or had the person who cast the spell consciously formed the seal to resemble a statue? If so, why choose a dog half-demon? A samurai or an animal would make much or sense. Frowning, Miroku closed his eyes and let the questions leave his mind. Although he was curious, he knew it wasn't his place to ask such things. Taro would protect the monks should anything happen.

- - -

Miroku once more sat in front of the statue, ignoring the slight hum that the barrier made. In front of him were several small scrolls, one of which was unrolled. Printed on them were the teachings of a famous Buddhist monk. Miroku had taken it upon himself to expand his knowledge, and he had already memorized three scrolls which held more of the monk's sayings. Concentrating of his studies, he didn't catch the faint whisper that floated through the room every so often, gradually growing louder.

_Kikyou…no!_

Miroku looked up with a frown, mildly irritated that he was being interrupted. But upon glancing around, he realized the room was empty. "Must have been the wind." he muttered, hearing it whistle through the cracks around the door. Returning to his studies with a shrug, the young monk scanned the cramped writing, mouthing the words silently to better remember them.

_Naraku…_

He looked up again, certain that he had heard something. But the temple was still and silent. Blue eyes narrowing in confusion, Miroku glanced around uneasily. Was one of the monks playing a joke on him?

_I'll kill you. _

Miroku started at the threat and scrambled to his feet, eyes wide. The whisperer was male, but the voice sounded like it was coming from far away. Clutching his staff, he stiffened, ready to lash out just in case someone was out to kill him.

_I mean it. I'll avenge her death!_

The voice was coming from the statue. Edging forward cautiously, the monk held the tip of his staff in front of him, alert. But nothing happened. Relaxing slightly, he stepped closer and moved around so that he was looking directly at the figure's face. He decided to wait and see if the voice spoke again.

_Kikyou…no!_

_Naraku…_

_I'll kill you._

_I mean it. I'll avenge her death!_

Miroku's eyes widened as he listened to the voice call out. It kept saying the same lines over and over, but he knew that the five sentences were the keys to figuring out what had happened to the statue. But he knew nothing of the people named.

"Miroku-san? Is something wrong?" Jumping, the young man turned to see Yokouji, one of the other monks, standing in the doorway. "Er…no, I just thought I heard something." Miroku replied, half-listening to the endless call for vengeance.

Yokouji paused to listen, then shook his head. "I don't hear anything. It must just be the wind."

"Yes, it must be." he replied with a slight smile. _He can't hear it…only I can._ Miroku thought to himself as he gathered up his scrolls and left the temple. Outside, the wind was howling, and gusts of snow made it hard to see anything. Grumbling about the storm, he waded through the small drifts back to his quarters and changed into his nightclothes.

Later, he stared up at the ceiling, listening to the wind howl around his hut. The voice of the statue still echoed in his mind, and as hard as he tried, Miroku couldn't forget it. There was a deep sorrow behind those words, as well as an intense fury. Something had happened, something major enough to keep whatever was sealed inside from resting in peace for eternity. Sighing, he rolled over and closed his eyes, hoping to get some sleep before dawn.

- - -

Many days had passed since the statue started to speak, and no one else had mentioned it. Miroku shivered as he made his way towards the temple, sidestepping a small patch of ice. Although it was hard to tell in the mountains, the long winter was over and spring had arrived. The only thing the monk had noticed was that the snowstorms were less frequent and didn't last nearly as long. But it was still quite cold out, and Miroku was glad when he entered the warmer confines of the temple.

Brushing some stray snow flurries from his robes, he settled down and began to meditate, blocking out the repeated cries for Naraku's death. Relaxing, the young monk let his mind drift, basking in the inner warmth that meditation brought him. He hadn't found out anything more about the statue, not willing to reveal that the stone figure was speaking. Dimly, Miroku remembered the rumours that said a monk had gone mad from the isolation and had babbled that the statue was talking to him. Now that he thought about it, the man realized that it was the same monk who had spoken of a spell being cast on the statue.

Not wishing to earn himself the same reputation, Miroku cast the thought aside and settled his mind. He became so immersed in his meditation that it took him a moment to realize that the floor was shaking.

"Earthquake!" he cried, attempting to rise but failing as the earth shook even harder. Frightened, Miroku made his way towards the statue, hearing the sound of beams cracking and falling all around him. Farther away, he caught the cries of the other monks, but kept going towards the stone statue. The monk felt compelled to protect it, although he didn't know what he could do. Several roof beams cam crashing down, sending a cascade of snow and cracked roof tiles onto the floor below.

Miroku winced as one of the stone pillars shook and toppled over. The protective barrier crackled with pink electricity, then vanished. Gritting his teeth, Miroku stumbled towards it, but tripped over a roof tile and fell over the topped post. He tried to rise, but cried out as the roof above him collapsed onto his back. A searing pain instantly spread from his lower back outwards, and the monk could feel several sharp objects sticking into him.

"Ahhhh…" Groaning in pain, he tried to move forward, but yelped as a blast of pain went through his body. Realizing he was stuck under a pile of debris, he looked up and gasped. A section of the temple roof was on the verge of falling on top of the statue, and even as he watched, the roof dropped down slightly. Gulping back his fear and the pain, Miroku braced himself against the pillar using his left hand and stretched his right hand out towards the statue. He remembered Taro's warning to never touch the stone figure, but he wasn't going to watch it be destroyed!

The earth had stopped shaking, but everything rattled as another tremor occurred. Not daring to look up at the damaged roof, the young monk strained to touch the stone that was just out of his reach. Gritting his teeth as a wave of pain threatened to overwhelm him, Miroku lunged forward with all of his strength and managed to place the tip of his finger on one stone toe.

For a second, nothing happened. Then Miroku heard a loud boom, and the cracks spread upwards rapidly, quickly covering the entire statue. An instant later, slivers of silver light appeared from the cracks, growing into shafts of bright light as the cracks expanded in size. Miroku made to draw his hand back, but he was too slow.

Even as he moved, the statue was engulfed by a column of silver light as the stone exploded outwards, and the monk felt an intense pain stab the palm of his right hand.

"AHHHHHH!" he roared in pain, barely registering the surge of energy that suddenly flowed through his right arm. The arm dropped lifelessly onto the shattered floor, and Miroku felt himself slipping away. As everything faded, he managed to look up to see a figure dressed in red before him. Before he had a chance to wonder who it was, his eyes closed and everything went black.

- - -

And so begins "The Awakening Arc" of this fanfic. I chose to use the Japanese spellings for the character names simply because I'm sued to spelling them that way. Also, I decided to use honourifics to try and give the story a more authentic feel to it. As stated in the Prologue reviews and other comments are most welcome.

From here on, at the end of each chapter will be a list of terms used in the chapter that not everyone may be familiar with, along with their definitions.

Clothing

_Hitoe_: A type of jacket that is often mistaken for a regular kimono. It is made from the Cloth of the Fire Rat, thus offering Inuyasha better protection in battle and is also fire-resistant.

_Kosode_: A simple shirt that is often classified as underwear.

_Obi_: A traditional Japanese belt worn by both sexes.

_Hakama_: Basically, pants. Like his hitoe, they are made from the Cloth of the Fire Rat.

Items

_Shakujo staff_: A staff that a Buddhist monk sometimes carries. Made of wood or bronze, they can be long to use as a walking stick or just be a small hand-held item.

Other

_Zenrin-ji monastery_: A Buddhist monastery founded in 1291 in Kyoto.

_Tatami mat_: A woven mat made out of straw. An outer layer of rushes gives it the green appearance and helps the mat last longer.


	2. Open Wounds

**Chapter 2: Open Wounds**

"Ahh…" Miroku groaned softly, feeling the burning pain in his body rouse him into wakefulness. He remembered the statue exploding in a column of silver light after he had touched it, and faintly recalled that someone had been standing in front of him right before he has passed out. But who had it been?

"Finally awake, monk?" a male voice sneered, and Miroku half-opened an eye to see who had spoken. The speaker was nothing more than a blurry form bending over him, but the young man didn't have the strength to open his eyes any further. "Get some rest, monk. You're no use to me dead." the form muttered, and Miroku let the pain overwhelm him once more, sliding back into unconsciousness.

- - -

Miroku woke up slowly, allowing himself a moment to think. He had lost count how many times he had slipped between painful wakefulness and comforting darkness, but the throbbing pain in his back and lower body had diminished somewhat. Sighing softly, the monk decided to see where he was and opened his eyes. He was lying on his stomach in what seemed to be a forest, with a small fire providing warmth not too far away. Blinking in confusion, the young man lifted his head slowly to see over the cracking flames and gasped.

Sitting across from him was the same dog half-demon he had been guarding for more than a month, but he was no longer a stone figure. Miroku took in his long white hair, golden eyes and red clothing, stunned that he had been the statue. Seeing his surprised look, the half-demon frowned and glared back. "Did being buried under a pile of wood mess with your head?" he snarled.

"N-no…" the monk replied, wondering what had happened since the earthquake. He was well aware of the burning pain that covered most of his lower back, and guessed that he had been badly injured when the temple roof had fallen on him. Glancing down, Miroku was shocked to see his right hand covered in bandages, not having felt any pain coming from it. He frowned, realizing that he could feel absolutely nothing below his shoulder.

Sensing that he was still being glared at, Miroku asked hesitantly, "Where are the other monks?"

"I left their bodies back at the monastery." He winced at the harsh tone of voice, then sighed, saddened by the loss. Although he had been there only a short time, the young monk had grown to respect and like many of the other monks at the secret monastery. Nodding silently, Miroku rested his chin on his good arm, staring out into the darkened woods and attempted to subdue the ache in his heart.

He could tell that they were in a mountain valley somewhere to the south of the hidden temple, but other than that, Miroku was lost. Shifting position slightly, he groaned again as a wave of pain washed through his body.

"Quit moving around and go back to sleep. We'll talk in the morning." the half-demon muttered, and he heard the fire crackle as another log was thrown onto it. Closing his eyes, Miroku tried to block out the pain from his injuries and the sudden loss of the monastery, and slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

- - -

When the man opened his eyes again, sunlight was streaming into the clearing. Resting his chin on his folded arms, Miroku looked around and saw that the half-demon was staring at him from a few feet away. "Good morning…" the monk said, unsure if he was allowed to talk. His companion merely snorted at the greeting before pointing towards a bark platter next to Miroku's head.

"Shut up and eat, monk. I want to talk to you." Miroku nodded and slowly ate his meagre breakfast of a cooked fish and a few berries, his movements hampered by the fact that he could only use his left hand. Once he had finished, he pushed the platter aside and looked expectantly at the half-demon.

"Took you long enough." the other growled with a frown, then glared at the young man. "What happened at that monastery, and how did I end up there?" Slightly upset by the intense glare and the rude tone of voice, Miroku stared at his bandaged hand for a moment before meeting the half-demon's gaze.

"Before I do, may I know your name?" he asked politely.

"No. Now answer my questions!"

"My name is Miroku. I only know what the other monks told me, so it's not much…" he then went on to explain the purpose of the hidden monastery, and the events leading up to the earthquake.

"That's it?! That's all you know?" The half-demon was crouched next to him, looking furious. Eyeing his sharp claws with some apprehension, Miroku quickly nodded, but only received an angry frown in return.

"Perhaps I should just kill you now then, since you obviously don't know anything." the red-clad figure grumbled, flexing his claws a few times.

"Did you just rescue me because you thought I knew something?" the young man asked, slightly shocked at how uncaring he was.

"Yeah. So?"

"But I freed you from your imprisonment! If I hadn't, the roof of the temple would have fallen down on the statue, and you'd be dead!" Miroku exclaimed, then grimaced as pain rippled upwards from his back. Golden eyes narrowed, the half-demon considered his outburst for a minute, then muttered, "Fine…I'll let you live." Rising, he stalked out of the clearing and into the woods, leaving the injured monk alone with his thoughts.

- - -

"So, are you going to tell me your name?"

"Why should I?"

"Well, I did tell you mine, so it's only proper that I know yours. Besides, if something were to happen to me when you were off in the woods, how would I alert you?" Miroku's last question was met with silence, and he sighed. He had been trying for the past week to get the half-demon to tell him his name, but to no avail. Apparently, his rescuer wanted as little to do with him as possible, and that included not talking to him.

The monk slowly stretched his hands above his head, wincing a bit at the flare of pain. He was able to sit up now, and move his right arm to some degree, although it was still numb most of the time. Gazing at his bandaged palm, Miroku recalled what had happened when he had attempted to grab his Shakujo staff a few days earlier. He had been intending to examine it to make sure it hadn't been damaged too severely in the earthquake, and had reached for it with his right hand. Just before he had touched it, a stabbing pain had shot from his palm all the way to his shoulder, and a surge of spiritual energy combined with a feeling of his hand being repelled had prevented Miroku from touching his staff.

The monk knew that his staff was a holy object, and that he had handled the staff easily many times before, so why the sudden reaction? Was it because a piece of the statue had pierced his hand after he touched it? Was the seal that had turned the half-demon into a statue been so pure as to render everything else impure, even a Buddhist monk's staff?

"Inuyasha."

"Hm?" Miroku jerked at the sudden intrusion into his thoughts, and quickly focused on the dog half-demon. Looking irritated, the silver-haired male frowned and snapped, "My name's Inuyasha, monk. So quit bugging me about it."

"Oh…alright." Running a hand through his dark hair, he smiled at Inuyasha, happy to see that progress was being made between them, even if it was just the exchange of names. Inuyasha snorted softly and looked away from his pleased expression, seemingly not interested in carrying on a conversation. Unfortunately for him, Miroku was.

"So…since you don't know how long you were sealed into a statue form, how about you tell me what Japan was like before you were imprisoned."

"No. Shut up."

"I do know my history, Inuyasha-san. Just judging by your clothes, you seem to have been sealed away for five hundred years…or are you actually that old?"

"I said shut up!" Used to his angry moods by now, Miroku brushed off the comments and continued.

"If we're going to be together for a little while, it's better if we know each other's history. Besides, if we can figure out how long your were sealed in stone, we might be able to learn how you got to be hidden away in the mountains of Hokkaido."

"Hmph."

"Then I'll tell you about my past." Miroku decided, leaning gently back against the trunk of the tree he was resting under. He was silent for a few moments, collecting his thoughts, then began to speak.

"My mother died while giving birth to me eighteen years ago. Although my father was a monk with little spiritual power, he managed to make a living by performing exorcisms and Buddhist ceremonies for the village in which we lived. With the food the villagers gave us in return, he fed both of us. The valley in which our village was located was a contested area that was being fought over by two Daimyo, and parts of the community were destroyed several times over the years.

"When I was eight, a band of demons employed by one of the Daimyo ravaged our village while on their way to attack the other lord. My father was killed in the attack, along with the majority of the villagers, but I managed to hide in the ruins of our hut until the demons were gone." Pausing, Miroku said a silent prayer for his deceased parents, still a little upset by the sudden loss of his father.

"Since there was no point in staying in the ruined village, I started to wander the countryside, scavenging for food. Eventually, I joined a group of boys who were also doing the same thing, and we stole food and clothing together. We avoided the constant battles being fought between rival Daimyo and their armies, travelling around various parts of Japan in an effort to survive.

"After a year had passed, the group helped to rescue an injured Buddhist monk from two thieves. Grateful for our assistance in scaring the men off, the monk offered to take some of us on as apprentice monks. Although my father had been a Buddhist monk, he had never taught me much about the religion, so I, along with several other boys accepted the kind offer. He took us back to the Zenrin-ji monastery in Kyoto.

"I spent the last nine years there, learning more about Buddha and his teachings. As time passed, my spiritual power grew along with my knowledge, and I became a proper monk when I was sixteen. Five months ago, I was assigned to go to a hidden monastery in the north to guard something of great importance. When I arrived, I found that the monks were keeping watch over a statue of a dog half-demon."

Miroku then went on to relate how the cracks had spread upwards during the first month of his guard duty, the words that the statue had spoken to him, and ended with the earthquake and how he had released the seal on the statue.

After had had finished, Inuyasha got up and walked over to the edge of the clearing where he stared into the quiet forest for a while. Tired by the long story, Miroku let him think, his own mind wandering back to the years he had spent in Kyoto. He had left many friends behind, as well as a few enemies, and he was wondering if he would ever see them again.

"Hey monk, how long has the fighting been going on?" The young man thought for a moment, then answered, "There has been periodic fighting all over Japan ever since the Onin Wars ended just over fifty years ago. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it's going to end any time soon. Why?"

"'Cause that means I've been sealed away for fifty years…" the dog half-demon muttered, turning around to look at Miroku. "Have you heard of any powerful demons rising to power recently?"

"No…just that the Four Great Demon Lords have been seen more often than usual. If we're lucky, we won't run into any minions of the Lord of the North." Miroku answered, still surprised to learn that Inuyasha had been in the statue for so long.

"Hm…" Without saying anything else, the silver-haired teen walked off into the forest.

- - -

Inuyasha prodded at the embers of the fire, sending a spiral of sparks up. Although it was late at night, he couldn't sleep. The monk's story had brought back the reason why he was stuck in the north, and the thoughts that came with it had been haunting him during the last few days.

Naraku was obviously still sealed away somewhere, otherwise there would be stories of a powerful demon around. He knew that the murdering bastard wouldn't be content with terrorizing a small village, no, Naraku wouldn't rest until he had plenty of power. That much had been obvious during their brief meeting. The half-demon gritted his teeth, feeling the anger burn within him. He would pay for what he had done!

Raising his eyes to the early spring sky, Inuyasha gazed at the twinkling stars. It had snowed lightly earlier in the afternoon, but the clouds had cleared off to reveal a starry night. Inuyasha had been tending to the monk for nearly a month now, and although the new moon was only a few nights away, he was unwilling to leave the monk alone for very long.

"Damn…" he cursed softly, upset at his recent actions. He _should_ have left the monk to die after he had been freed, but instead had taken him away and nursed him back to health. Even now, when the young man was well enough to fend for himself, Inuyasha couldn't tear himself away. An unlikely bond had formed between them, and the half-demon couldn't seem to break it.

Crossing his arms in irritation, he fixed his golden eyes on the sleeping monk. As if sensing Inuyasha's look, the male stirred and rolled over to face the sputtering fire. His back would bear the scars of the earthquake forever, but it was now almost fully healed. Bandages still covered his right hand an arm, and the teen momentarily wondered what was wrong with it.

Shrugging off the thought, Inuyasha rose from his place and sprang into the branches of a nearby tree, sending a small cascade of snow to the ground. Brushing off a wide branch, he settled in and closed his eyes, determined to get some rest before dawn.

- - -

"You want to do _what_?" Inuyasha yelped, starting in shock at the monk.

"I want to visit the hidden monastery." he repeated calmly. "There might be clues about why you were sent there. Aren't you curious?"

The half-demon looked away, torn between admitting the truth and pretending indifference. He desperately wanted to know why he had been hidden away in a secret monastery, but he wasn't about to let a human see that.

"Also…would it be possible for you to carry me part of the way?"

"WHAT?!"

"I may not be strong enough to climb up some of the steeper mountains in my condition."

"You monks are supposed to be able to endure that kind of hardship! So, no!" Inuyasha growled, turning and stomping off a few paces in annoyance.

"If you do come, and there are clues there, it might help you to find Naraku-san." Ears twitching slightly at the nerve of the monk, he muttered, "Why the hell would I want to know about Naraku?"

"Well…you did swear vengeance on him while being a statue. I assumed you still wanted to kill him."

"Hmph." Inuyasha pondered the request for a minute, weighing whether he could live with himself knowing that if he didn't go, he might miss a clue to Naraku's location. "Damn it…I'll take you, but only one on condition."

"What is it?"

"That if there is nothing at the monastery, I'm leaving you there."

"And if we find something?" When he received no answer, the monk sighed and nodded. "Alright, I accept your condition. Thank you, Inuyasha-san."

"Are you ready to leave now?" the half-demon asked, anxious to find out if there was anything left at the hidden monastery.

"Yes." Turning around, he walked over to crouch in front of the monk. "Climb onto my back, then."

After securing his staff in the folds of his robe on his back, the young man looped his hands around Inuyasha's neck and tightened his knees around the other's waist, allowing the teen to lift the monk up onto his back. The half-demon waited a moment while the monk adjusted his position, then leaped high into the air without warning.

A startled gasp from beside his ear followed the sudden departure, but Inuyasha just gave a sly smirk and jumped lightly from one tree branch to the next, re-tracing the route back towards the hidden monastery.

- - -

"Hey monk! Do you sense any demons around?" Inuyasha asked as he streaked up the twisting stairs that led to the secret valley. He couldn't smell anything nearby, just a few surprised birds that were nesting on the mountain, but that didn't mean there was nothing dangerous lurking close by.

"No…either they've been here already, or keep avoiding this place out of habit." the other male replied, sounding mystified at the lack of demons in the area. Golden eyes narrowed against the wind, the half-demon bolted up the final flight of steps, then slid to a halt in front of a cave mouth.

"We're here. Now get off!" he snarled softly, and the monk quickly slid from his back.

"Thank you, Inuyasha-san." Ignoring the gratitude, Inuyasha pointed at the opening. "Well? Is there any barrier?" he asked impatiently, wanted to get the trip over with so he could figure out what he would do next. While escaping from the hidden valley, he had gone over the mountain peak rather than risk a spiritual barrier, but they didn't have time for that now.

The monk walked forward a few paces, staff held awkwardly in his left hand, and poked it into the darkness. "Nothing. The barrier must have collapsed after the earthquake." Nodding curtly, the silver-haired teen strode past him and into the cave, not stopping until he stood at the top of the pathway on the other side.

Inuyasha frowned as he looked down upon the remains of the monastery, noticing that not much had changed since he had last been there. The life-size Buddha statues were tipped on their sides, cracks radiating upwards from their violent impact with the ground. Most of the buildings were nothing more than heaps of splintered wood and shingles, and several spots bore the scars of the fires that had consumed the dwellings that had sat there before. The bridge that connected the two banks of the river had broken in two, the separated pieces poking up out of the water like miniature hills. The temple had fared better, remaining upright but with the roof partially caved in. A small landslide had blocked off the exit of the small river that ran through the valley, and the dammed water was already claiming a portion of the valley floor as its own. In time, the entire valley would be submerged, and the monastery would be hidden forever from prying eyes.

The half-demon sniffed the air, but could only detect a faint trace of decaying flesh wafting up from the ruins of the buildings. Animals and time had taken care of the rest. Face expressionless at the sight of so much tragedy, Inuyasha walked down the steps, ignoring the prayer the monk was murmuring for his lost comrades. Reaching the first of the rubble piles, he started to dig through it, alert for anything that might contain clues to Naraku's location.

"There isn't anything there, Inuyasha-san." Golden eyes turned from the ground to glare at the dejected-sounding monk. "Then were would it be?!" he snapped, rising and turning to fully face the other male.

"Taro-sama was the head monk here. If he had any information, it would be at his quarters." the young monk replied, the led the tense half-demon along the path until they stood in front of another shattered hut. "Try looking here."

Inuyasha waded into the pile with a snort and began to toss boards and roof tiles out of his way. After a few seconds, he heard the other male begin to sort through the mess behind him, and tried to not throw anything too hard over his shoulder. They continued to search through the remains of Taro's hut, then Inuyasha stopped, bent down, and grabbed an old scroll from a pile of shattered pottery.

"This might be it." As the monk moved to look over his shoulder, the teen unrolled the scroll eagerly, and began to read.

_To the protector of this sanctuary,_

_You have been entrusted with the responsibility of guarding a dangerous artefact, the statue of a dog half-demon. A powerful seal has been placed on the statue to keep the soul inside from breaking free, and you must ensure that the seal remains intact. Even though it pains me to speak of it, I feel I must tell you a little about the statue's history. _

_The half-demon was involved in a fierce battle over a powerful object that both combatants wanted for themselves, to use for their own selfish purposes. The person the object was entrusted to keep safe also fought to keep the object out of their hands, but died trying to protect it. However, before she died, the guardian managed to seal both the half-demon and his opponent inside statues. _

_Your monastery has kindly taken in the statue of the half-demon, and I trust that you will keep it hidden from the outside world. As to the fate of the other statue, I cannot say, except that it is far away from prying eyes as well. I hope that the guardian's sacrifice was not in vain, and that they will stay sealed away forever. _

_May you fare well always,_

_Kaede_

"Kaede…" Inuyasha murmured softly, reading the characters that had been formed by a child's hand. He vaguely recalled that Kikyou had had a younger sister by the same name, and wondered briefly if she had written this letter. Even if she had, the letter provided little in the way of clues as to where Naraku was. "Damn." he grumbled, handing the scroll over to the monk and wading out of the ruined building.

He jogged to the other end of the valley, leaped over the broken bridge, and came to a halt in front of the damaged temple. Shoving his hands into the sleeves of his hitoe and frowning, the half-demon sat on the cold ground and began to think.

Luckily for his sake, the monk chose not the bother him, and the teen could faintly hear the young man moving from building to building, murmuring prayers as he went. Golden eyes closing, Inuyasha continued to think, letting everything he had learned since becoming unsealed roll through his mind. By the time he let his mind return to the present, a fine layer of snow covered him and the sky overhead was dark. Shaking the snow off of him, the half-demon stood up and headed back to where the monk sat beside a small fire that he had kindled.

Glancing at him over the crackling flames, the young man hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "Have you made a decision yet, Inuyasha-san?" Inuyasha was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah. I want to find Naraku and kill him."

"But Kaede-san's letter didn't say where he was."

"He's somewhere further south, that much is obvious. From Kaede's letter, it's implied that he's in a location that isn't visited much by humans or demons."

"So you're going to wander all over Japan until you find him?" Hearing the scepticism in the monk's voice, the half-demon snapped back, "Do you have a better plan then, monk?"

"Well…no."

Inuyasha gave a small smirk, momentarily pleased that the monk was as clueless as he was. However, his jaw quickly dropped when he heard the next question.

"I don't have a reason to stay here anymore, and since we're going in the same direction…may I travel with you?" The red-clad teen stared at the young monk, shocked beyond words at the simple question. Here was a respectable human, wanting to be seen with _him_, a half-demon. Most people would have never considered the idea of traveling with something so despised as a half-breed such as Inuyasha; in fact, both humans and full demons hated half-demons, and did everything possible to either avoid to eliminate them.

"Are…are you crazy?!" Inuyasha finally stammered, golden eyes still wide in disbelief.

"No, not at all…I really do want to travel with you." the monk insisted, turning slightly red and shifting uncomfortably. The half-demon twitched his head away and sighed, thinking of several good reasons to refuse his request. Letting out a low growl at the fact that he couldn't seem to just leave the monk by himself for once, Inuyasha grumbled, "Fine, you can come."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"Thank you, Inuyasha-san!" the monk exclaimed happily, and the half-demon looked away, silently cursing his stupid decision. What was wrong with him?

"We'll head south in the morning." Inuyasha decided, dreading the approaching moonless night. He couldn't allow the monk to see him during that time, so he would have to resolve to leave him alone for one short night. Besides, he was confident that the monk could look after himself if a demon attacked while he was away, although the silver-haired teen secretly hoped that wouldn't happen.

"Goodnight, Inuyasha-san. I'll see you in the morning." the monk said, before stretching out on the cold bare ground. Nodding, Inuyasha also closed his eyes and drifted off, still angry at his decision.

---

I decided to take down the Prologue that was originally up, mostly because I realized that I didn't want to be limited later in the story by what was written in it. It will appear in a changed form later on, but for now, I'll be making only passing references to the events that took place before the story began.

Also, the fact that Miroku thought that Inuyasha was 500 years old isn't made up. Within the Inuyasha Fandom, there are some who say that Inuyasha actually has lived for 500 years (not counting the time he was sealed away for, since he didn't age during that time), while other argue that is just 16, the age that he appears to be.

**Glossary**

Events

_Onin Wars_: they lasted from 1467-1477, and marked the start of the Warring States Period in Japan.

Other

_Daimyo_: The are feudal rulers who hold control over vast amounts of hereditary land. During the Warring States Period, many of them refused to swear loyalty to the Emperor in Kyoto.


End file.
